Commercial poultry hatcheries provide ideal conditions for the multiplication and spread of microorganisms. Formaldehyde is widely used as a disinfectant; however, it is harmful to human health and can cause abnormal morphology in chicks. An alternative microbiological control is the use of copper, a metallic antimicrobial agent for contact surfaces. The antimicrobial efficacy of copper surfaces has been established in healthcare environments. However, its use in the poultry chain is still limited. This study aimed to compare the antimicrobial activity of common polypropylene hatch baskets with hatch baskets composed of copper (polypropylene hatch baskets covered by copper hatch baskets; polypropylene hatch baskets with solid copper plates on the bottom; polypropylene hatch baskets covered by copper hatch baskets and with solid copper plates on the bottom). To simulate a hatching environment with high contamination, the eggs and hatching cabinet were not fumigated. Microbiological analysis of the hatching cabinet environmental, surface of hatch basket, and fluff were performed. The results indicated that the absence of bottom holes resulted in a higher volume of organic matter that interfered with the copper's antimicrobial activity. The presence of copper in the hatch baskets did not decrease microbial contamination under the conditions evaluated, confirming that the metal should only be used as a complement to standard hygiene and not as a substitute for surface disinfectants. Further analysis will evaluate the antimicrobial activity of hatch baskets composed only of copper and the ability of nanoparticles to remove the biofilms formed by bacteria isolated from the poultry environment.

商业家禽孵化场为微生物的繁殖和传播提供了理想的条件。甲醛被广泛用作消毒剂；然而，它对人类健康有害，并可能导致雏鸡形态异常。另一种微生物控制是使用铜，一种用于接触表面的金属抗菌剂。铜表面的抗菌功效已在医疗保健环境中得到证实。然而，它在家禽链中的使用仍然有限。本研究旨在比较普通聚丙烯孵化篮与铜制孵化篮（聚丙烯孵化篮被铜孵化篮覆盖；聚丙烯孵化篮底部带有实心铜板；聚丙烯孵化篮被铜孵化篮覆盖，底部有实心铜板）。为了模拟高污染的孵化环境，未对鸡蛋和孵化柜进行熏蒸。对孵化柜环境、孵化篮表面和绒毛进行微生物分析。结果表明，没有底孔会导致干扰铜抗菌活性的更多有机物质。在评估的条件下，孵化篮中铜的存在并没有减少微生物污染，证实金属只能用作标准卫生的补充，而不是作为表面消毒剂的替代品。